


Pale Flies

by cloudnymphs



Series: Zamasu's Rehabilition - ZamaShinGokuBlack [2]
Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Friends to Lovers, Friendship, M/M, Past Tumultuous Relationship, Redeemed Zamasu, Romance, Things weren't easy for Goku Black and Zamasu but Zamasu isn't ready to give up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 15:40:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29298297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cloudnymphs/pseuds/cloudnymphs
Summary: There are few places Zamasu can escape his past, however, his dreams are not one of them. It isn't uncommon for him to have nightmaresorWhen Zamasu has nightmares of what could have been, Shin is the first only one to comfort him.
Relationships: (mentioned - well their past is heavily brought up), Goku Black/Zamasu, Supreme Kai | Shin/Zamasu (Dragon Ball)
Series: Zamasu's Rehabilition - ZamaShinGokuBlack [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2151801
Kudos: 5





	Pale Flies

**Author's Note:**

> I have these hcs that in my Zamasu!Survives AU--he deals with nightmares . He and Goku Black had some tumultuous times lol--and there were many times they almost turned on each other--at least in my AUs. Yet, he still loves Goku Black and despite all that happens wants the best for them. I’m also kind of basing this off of their fight in the manga as well, when Zamasu was about to strangle him. Also, this AU takes place in the verse where Zamasu survives and is living his life sentence as Shin's apprentice lol. So the setting takes place actually on Shin's Earth home, which I hc he has a house on Earth. To the story!

_ He didn't know how to react when the firm hand of the Saiyan tightened around his throat. _

_ His strength was so unmatched, that not even Zamasu with his full power could push him away. They had gone through these bouts before--disagreements escalating into full on attacks. Glass broken, chairs thrown and hands tearing wildly at the other yet--it seemed the other was growing tired of this banter. _

_ Zamasu wondered why it was always like this? _

_ So close to their Utopia yet--it faded away like water upon embers.  _

_ He could feel Goku Black’s hands tightening around his throat--sucking the sanity out of him with every second.  _

_ Zamasu wondered at this rate--what was the point? Even if they did succeed in their Utopia, would they be doomed to fail regardless?  _

OooOooOooO

"Zamasu?"

The voice, so unlike Goku Black's began to rock him out of his slumber. Still adrift somewhere, the worrisome tone became stronger until he felt a firm yet soft hand somewhere upon his body (or what he'd describe as such).

And  _ that  _ is when he woke.

Grey eyes peeling open as he made way to address whatever had grabbed him. Zamasu was not a fan of physical touch, and from those he didn't know or trust he deemed it disrespectful. For the life of him, he was unaware of what had just grabbed him and was quick to lash out at whatever it was.

All around him the room was dark--waking up from a nightmare (or a flashback), he was disoriented and on alert. He couldn't stop himself from reaching out at the foreign object, latching on to what seemed like a neck and holding the figure away from him.

" _ Za--Zamasu!" _

Zamasu's eyes were still shrouded in darkness--he still attempted to discern nightmare from reality and even though this quiet, yet familiar voice was calling his name, he couldn't see anything...at least not yet.

But slowly and surely, the dim room came into view and the smaller figure he currently strangled slowly began to settle in. Zamasu blinked rapidly, his own throat constricting in horror as he realized it was Shin he held.

He dropped the smaller shinjin; his body making a thud on the floor as he hadn't regained hismelf enough to float. Zamsu had jumped out of the bed in an instant, already kneeling down next to him in an effort to help.

"Shin--I--I'm sorry--"

Shin still held on to his own neck, but he waved a hand to calm Zamasu. "It's fine." He whispered, his throat obviously injured.

Zamasu was quick to remedy what he'd done, his hand softly resting along Shin's throat this time tenderly healing the bruises and crushed muscles underneath. Shin didn't draw back, and allowed Zamasu to mend him before finally, he was able to stand again, and eventually found his footing. Zamasu remained on the floor, his back leaned against the bed and his dull eyes resting on Shin.

"I should take a walk, I didn't mean to--"

"I shouldn't have come on you like that." Shin cut him off. "You were having a nightmare, and I was worried. But, this was my fault." He gave him a reassuring smile. "Zamasu I'm alright, plus you're tired and exhausted...you need to go back to bed."

He wasn't wrong.

The day before Zamasu had put himself up to the task of vigorous training and mental exercises. He had been having these nightmares for a while now and feared they were some type of bad omen. Throwing himself into some type of activity seemed to tire him out and help him reflect on other things. The poor pay off however was that he was exhausted at night, hence, nightmares.

He knew however not to argue with Shin and sluggishly climbed back into bed where Shin joined him, yet at the foot.

There was a bit of awkwardness to that move, as now Zamasu had been in Shin's 'residence' for some time now. Months actually and to assume that they were simply friends was foolish on both of their parts. They'd been tiptoeing around each other, so Shin being close to Zamasu yet at the same time keeping his distance was a testament of their strange relationship.

"Do you plan to stare at me sleep?" Zamasu asked in a humorous manner.

"No." Shin chuckled. "I actually wanted to talk to you about your nightmare...or nightmares. You're ki has been very...erratic lately, these past few nights and I know you aren't focused. I couldn't pinpoint the source at first but now...I suppose it's the nightmares. Zamasu, is everything okay?"

There was a pause of course-- a drawn out one as Zamasu forced himself up to face Shin. He knew there was no use lying to Shin, at least not now. They'd grown close enough for Shin to know when Zamasu was hurting, even if he wasn't reading his mind. Even if Zamasu was distant toward him, and sometimes tried to push him away, Shin was always aware.

"Things happened in the past, Shin--with Goku Black." His tone grew serious, yet there was a hint of fear. He clearly didn't want Shin to catch it, but he did, and this prompted Shin to crawl forward to be closer to Zamasu.

"Go on." Shin inclined. "It's okay."

Zamasu closed his eyes, roughly pinching the bridge of his nose as he began to reflect. His thoughts went past the nightmares, to actual flashbacks; flash backs of the tumultuous relationship he and Goku Black harbored toward each other. They had their good days, when Zamasu felt that no matter how things ended they would've conquered the multiverse together. And then of course, there were their bad days; the days when Zamasu wanted to run his hand right through Goku Black's heart or, the days when Goku Black had his hand around Zamasu's neck. There was certainly love their--a twist love, or a misunderstood love. Zamasu wasn’t prepared to let it go, but he had no clue what to make of it at some points..

"I think that...sometimes we were like cold water, and hot oil." Zamsu finally spoke. "We'd meld together so well, and then, we'd fall apart. We were almost like a hurricane, calm like the eye and then we'd be like thunder."

Shin chuckled. "It sounds strangely, romantic."

"Only, it wasn't always that way." Zamasu's response was harsher than he intended. "Sorry, I didn't mean to lash out I just--"

"It's  _ okay."  _ Shin reassured. "You still care about him, you still loved him even if things weren't always perfect. You still  _ love  _ him. That's okay Zamasu." His dark eyes lit up, causing Zamasu's heart to warm just a bit. Even if he didn't believe Shin fully understood, there was still something calm about him just sitting there, and listening. Zamasu hadn't opened up about this to anyone, and to finally have someone to speak to about it made him feel less alone.

"That isn't the only thing that's getting to you, is it." Shin's tone changed now, as he could slightly see through the facade that Zamasu attempted to erect. There was something bugging him, something that he wasn't even comfortable admitting to himself, nevertheless Shin. But Shin as usual was intuitive, and he saw right through whatever walls Zamasu attempted to build.

"You're afraid of him." Shin finally spoke, coming to a sudden realization. “You’re afraid of what he can do to you but you still love him. You want to see him again--you want to find him again, to help him and to change him, but you’re not sure if you can. And that scares you. It scares you what he can do to you if your plan doesn’t work.”

Zamasu in turn let out a shudder. His breath was shaky as he exhaled, as all he could do in response was bury his head in his hands both out of shame and genuine understanding of his own emotions. Shame, because it took Shin to dig up and decipher these feelings he even hid from himself. More so, he couldn’t dare to fathom the fact that he was afraid of  _ anything  _ least of all, not a version of himself. 

“Z...Zamasu.” Shin had crawled closer this time, his small purple hand brushing upon the long sleeved shirt above Zamasu’s shoulder. “It’s okay--”

“It’s foolish.” Zamasu replied, sitting up. “For me to fear myself-- a  _ monster  _ of my own doing, how embarrassing is that? Moreover, fearing something that I cannot fix--still loving something that I cannot change--”

“It’s not embarrassing at all.” Shin defended. “I don’t know what you or Goku Black went through , but fearing him isn’t embarrassing. Neither is still loving him. You two almost conquered the world together...who wouldn’t still have feelings for the person they’d done that with?”

There was a long silence; Shin drew back toward himself with his hands in his lap while again, Zamasu stared off in the distance toward a blank wall. Both were thinking different things that touched up on the same subject. No doubt, Shin was trying to find some way to comfort Zamasu and make sense of what had happened, where as, Zamasu was attempting to come to terms with his own emotions. Fear was foreign to him, though it was a concept he was familiar with, just never applied to himself. 

Yet, fearing Goku Black...now all of a sudden the nightmares made sense. No doubt did the two have a complicated relationship that left none of them unschathed, but to think that manifested into Zamasu actually being afraid.

“I just wish I could stop having these dreams. I feel like my body is trying to warn me of something, or punish me...or both.”

Shin perked him, surprised Zamasu had broken the silence. “Perhaps your body isn’t sure if Goku Black is dead.” Shin admitted. “If you survived and split from him, then who’s to say that he’s not still alive. Maybe you’re afraid he’ll come for you, and your body is warning you.”

It was then, Zamasu let out a lifeless chuckle, falling upon the bed in both hopelessness and genuine exhaustion.

“I’m sorry, perhaps I shouldn’t have put it like that I--”

“No, you’re best when you’re being serious.” Zamasu quietly replied. “Shin--I think you’re right. Maybe there is a part of me that fears his return...who knows, maybe he’s looking for me now and he’ll kill me. But there’s also a part of me who wants to find him again--so I could help him. I want him to change--I want him to be safe.”

By now, both had become all to used to the silence yet, this time, Shin did something that surprised Zamasu. He lay down next to him slowly, and for the first time, broke the small barrier of uncertainty they’d threaded along for these past few months. He took hold of Zamasu’s hand, squeezing it tightly before he spoke.

“If you’re afraid--I’ll protect you. I won’t let you be hurt.” Shin whispered, in all honesty. “If you want to find him, I’ll go with you. We’ll find him together.”

Now of course, Zamasu didn’t believe in Shin’s capabilities to leave a scratch on Goku black, let alone, Zamasu himself. Yet, there was something about that--the fact that for the first time in his life, someone was promising to protect Zamasu that warmed his heart. And it made him feel strangely--safe. Shin’s words were more than his actions, they protected him more than he even knew.

So now, it was time for Zamasu to break the barrier.

He turned on his side and pulled Shin into a hug. It wasn’t hard to wrap his arms around the smaller Shinjin and hold him in tight embrace; Shin’s head was eventually buried in Zamasu’s chest, while Zamasu’s fingers trailed through Shin’s hair, down to his back. 

“You’ll protect me?” He quietly repeated, still rubbing Shin.

“It’s my job.” Shin responded, his voice muffled against Zamasu’s chest. 

“Even before I met you, you were renown for your courage Shin and I admire you for that, but you must  _ never  _ get between Goku Black and I--do you understand. If he’s trying to hurt me--you need to leave. You can help me look for him...if that is what we are doing--but if things get violent you have to  _ promise  _ me you’ll flee.”

He had changed their positions, so that now Shin could look up at him. Shin of course attempted to avert his gaze, as this time around, Zamasu’s soft eyes had hardened--and that kind look reserved for Shin was devoured by that all to common, furious glare. Shin didn’t know if Zamasu meant to look angry or threatening but he did, just like he had all those months ago.

Still--that did not deter Shin from his personal promise.

“You’ll have to stop me first.” 

There was a slight dare in those words, a challenge that enticed Zamasu a bit. In response he pulled Shin close, his nose nuzzling into his hair as he finally found himself drifting into a peaceful sleep. 

He could sleep lighter that night. It was good to come to terms with the fear he felt--even better to put it at ease. Yet now, he had something else to look forward to. He still loved Goku Black--and Shin hadn’t shamed him for admitting that. Luckily for him, there was a possibility he’d see him again.

All that was left was to do find him, to bring him back and to change him. With Shin’s help--that was possible. Now all Zamasu needed to do was sleep, and look to the future. He felt safe--he felt happy and more than anything, it felt nice to be vulnerable. He still loved Goku Black, but that night--it was very clear to Zamasu that it was okay to open himself to another, and Shin easily had a place in his heart.

Now, all that was left to do was sleep and look toward a brighter future. 

**Author's Note:**

> I meant to post this weeks ago. Also, I’m working on some redeemed Goku Black stuff so he’ll be making his way into this series shortly. And yes--Zamasu loves both of them--he’s kind of all over the place.
> 
> Also follow me on twitter! Twitter.com/cloudnymphs i post art and talk about ships XD.


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